Plumbers putty????

[MeVsTheWorld]

Does anyone know if this is reef safe? Have you used it before? What is a good brand?

 

[joe22883]

I doubt its safe.

 

[CleveYank]

Plumber's putty (oatey brand) is made from clay with an oil mixed in. May be fish oil but is normally linseed oil. I would not use it on anything near my reefs.


http://services.georgiasouthern.edu/ess/msds/Oatey%20Plumber's%20Putty.pdf

Mid-stream of above google search document says call doc if you ingest it. Probably harmful to reef stuff too.

 

[MeVsTheWorld]

Aren't there putty's that are safe for potable water? If so, wouldn't that make them safe for our tanks?

Cleve: "Mid-stream of above google search document says call doc if you ingest it. Probably harmful to reef stuff too."

I'm sure aquamend and superglue gel suggests the same.

 

[fishoutofwater]

i have used the ace hardware brand for years with no ill effect. I use it on all my threading fittings. after putting tread tape on then I put a little pipe dope on for added insurance. NEVER HAD AN ISSUE!

 

[joe22883]

pipe dope and plumbers putty are not the same. I would trust pipe dope over putty. Why do you need a putty Bill?

 

[fishoutofwater]

sorry my bad. Thought he was asking about the plumbers dope.

 

[sohal1025]

I would not chance it myself.

 

[vietcu]

I wouldn't use the Plumber's Putty in that cup since it doesn't harden under water. I would however, and have been using that stick that almost look like the aquarium brand. It is a different color but works just the same for me.

 

[Big E]

I have been using the Harvey's stick putty for years......it's absolutely safe. You can find it in the plumbing section at Home Depot.

I've used on Sps frags, covered hydroids, & bonded live rock.

If you use a lot of it you'll have to turn down your skimmer a bit or it will foam over for a few hours.

 

[Kreeger1]

I have been using the Harvey's stick putty for years......it's absolutely safe. You can find it in the plumbing section at Home Depot.


Same here, probably 15 years of the stuff and going and yeah the skimmer does explode with bubbles after using it.

 

[serpentman]

Harvey's stick putty is really an epoxy and differs from traditional "plumber's putty".

Epoxy's that are safe for potable water are generally safe and shouldn't be a issue.

However traditional plumber's putty stays malleable and is used to temporarily patch leaks, etc. Because it doesn't ever really cure, I would not chance it.

 

[CleveYank]

The really thick TFE or TFPE pure white plumber's thread filler IS SAFE for our systems. When I bought a system from a local 10 years ago everything on his system was sealed with it. Personally, I think it's messy and pain to clean everything off of it to reseal things and only use it when the teflon tape won't do the trick.

 

[DEERE G]

Harvey' here too. As Erik mentioned it makes the skimmer go crazy. Mine usually overflows as soon as the putty hits the water.
I too have used the white PTFE thread sealer . I used "Spears" brand . It is pretty much thickened liquid PTFE (Teflon) tape. IME

 

[MeVsTheWorld]

I was having an issue with my new(used) skimmer. The micro bubbles were leaking out past the injection tube. I was gonna just put a little in the leak. I did not want to make it solid(permanent), because I have to be able to disassemble for maintenance. I went to the hardware store today and just made new fittings/etc. Now the pump spits micro bubbles out from where the intake slide locks onto the pump. Maybe the rubber o-ring is worn out, I don't know. It is clean and fits properly, but still emits bubbles. The endless headache continues..........